Universal rolling mills



May 3, 1966 E. c. HEWITT ETAL 3,

UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILLS Filed May 29, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 \NVENTORS EWAN C. HEWITT,

HEIR ATTORNEY y 3, 1966 E. c. HEWITT ETAL 3,248,919

UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILLS Filed May 29, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Ew C- HEWITT, RaamAu: D SWALLOW BY Dumas STUBBS THEIR ATTORNEY y 3, 1966 E. c. HEWlTT ETAL 3,248,919

UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILLS Filed May 29, 1963 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQQS E C. HEWlTT REGINALD D. SWALL ow DENNIS STUBBS BYJLVM Q- 77%;;

1' RE? ATTORNEY y 1956 E. c. HEWITT ETAL 3,248,919

UNIVERSAL ROLLING MILLS Filed May 29,, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 \NVENTORS EWAN C. Haw rr'r REGINALD D. SwALLow* DENms STUBB5 BY 4 Qih:

Tuna ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,248,919 UNIVERSAL RUIJLING LS Ewan Christian Hewitt, Sheilield, Reginald Dennis Swallow, Todwick, near Sheffield, and Dennis Stuhhs, Sheffield, England, assignors to Davy and United Engineering Company Limited, Sheifieid, England Filed May 29, 1963, Ser. No. 284,125 Claims priority, application Great Britain, May 30, 1962, 20,801/62 13 Claims. (Cl. 72238) This invention relates to rolling mill stands, particularly those having both horizontal and vertical rolls for rolling sections such as beams. An object of the invention is to enable the rolls of such a stand to be quickly and easily introduced into, and removed from, the stand to facilitate roll changing.

In accordance with the present invention, a rolling mill stand has coplanar horizontal and vertical rolls and chocks therefor, arranged for removal together through a housing window with the chocks of the upper horizontal roll resting on the chocks of the vertical rolls. Preferably there is a frame which can be located within the stand and which, when so located, supports the lower horizontal roll and the vertical rolls, but which is removable through a housing window carrying all the rolls.

In a preferred form of the invention, a rolling mill stand comprises a pair of spaced housings, at least one of which has a housing window therein, a frame which is locatable between the housings and which is movable through the housing window, a lower horizontal roll having chocks which are supported on the frame, a pair of vertical roll chocks, each having a vertical roll and each independently slidably supported on the frame, an upper horizontal roll and chocks therefor, and means for mounting the upper horizontal roll and chocks in the stand and for lowering those chocks on to the vertical roll chocks for removal of all the rolls and chocks together on the frame. The frame may be U-shaped, having a pair of upstanding arms on which the vertical roll chocks are slidably supported for vertical roll gap adjustment, and between which the lower horizontal roll is supported. For roll change, the lowering means, which preferably comprise roll-balance links are operated to lower the upper horizontal roll chocks on to the vertical roll chocks below; all four rolls are now carried by the frame which may be moved, with the rolls, through the housing window. Introduction of :a new set of rolls is similarly effected and it will be appreciated that not only the transfer of the rolls but also the proper positioning of the rolls in the stand for rolling may be effected with the minimum of difficulty.

The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of a beam mill stand, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanyin drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a universal beam mill stand,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation on the line IIII of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a yoke which is part of the mill, but which is omitted from FIGURES 1 and 2 for clarity,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged View of the U-section frame, and

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line VV of FIG- URE 4.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, the rolling mill stand has two housings 10, each having a window 11. Extending through the lower ends of the windows 11, and across the width of the mill is a U-section frame 12, a longitudinal section of which is best seen from FIGURE 5. This frame is shaped to receive a lower spreader beam 13 which, during operation of the mill, is supported on screws 3,248,919 Patented May 3, 1966 14 mounted in the housings 10. The spreader beam 13 supports, in turn, chocks 15 of a lower horizontal roll 16.

Chock assemblies 17 for an upper horizontal roll 18 are supported on roll-balance links 20 and are prevented from moving laterally by being provided with extending portions 17A, which are interposed between the housing 10 and brackets 19 secured to the housing 10. A very small clearance is left between the brackets 19 and the housing 10 to permit vertical adjustment of the chock assemblies 17, and hence the upper horizontal roll 18. The assembly 17 is backed up by an upper spreader beam 21, upon which bears a conventional screwdown apparatus, not shown.

In FIGURE 1 the upper horizontal roll 18 is shown in two halves; the left half of the roll and the upper chock assembly being shown in the bottom and roll-change positions, and the right half of the roll 18 being shown in its operating position.

Latches 30 secured at one end to piston-and-cylinder arrangements 30A are provided to retain the spreader beam 21 in its uppermost position during roll-changing.

Vertical rolls, whose axes of rotation are shown at 22, 23 in FIGURE 2, are mounted in roll chocks 24. The chocks 24 are supported underneath by resting upon wearing plates 24A on the top edges 25 of the arms of the U-section frame 12, and are located at their upper sides igainst wearing plates 248 on portions 26 of the housings The U-se-ction frame 12 is mounted on four wheels 27 on axles 27A having bearing blocks 27B located in recesses 27C. The wheels 27 run on rails 28. When the U-section frame 12 is not in its correct position for operation of the mill the frame is entirely supported on these wheels. To correctly locate the U-section frame 12 within the housings 1t), recesses (not shown) are provided in the rails 28, so that when the wheels 27 are in these recesses wearing plates 12A in slots 12B of the U-section frame 12 rest upon slideways 31 located at the bottom of the housing windows 11.

Piston-and-cylinder arrangements 32 are provided for pushing the U-section frame 12 so that the wheels 27 leave the recesses in the rails 28 and the U-section frame is lifted off the slideways 31, when it is required to effect a roll change.

Each of the housings 10 has a U-section yoke, one of which is indicated at 34 in FIGURE 3, and which is attached to the two housing posts 33 of the housing. These yokes are located immediately behind the vertical roll-chocks 24.

The U-section yoke 34 comprises two horizontally and outwardly projecting arms 39 which are integral with the housing posts 33, and a gate 34A pivotally supported at one end by a bracket 33A secured to the left-hand arm 39, so that the gate 34A of the yoke 34 can pivot about vertical axis X. A piston-and-cylinder arrangement 36 is provided to pivot the gate 34A about the vertical axis X.

Bolts, whose axes are shown at 40, having nuts 45, are located in slots (not shown) in the yoke 34 and are pro vided to maintain the gate 34A in the correct position during operation of the mill as shown in full line in FIG- URE 3. The bolts 40 are pivotally secured in the arms 39 for rotation about axes Y, and piston-and-cylinder arrangements 37, mounted on brackets 38 on the housing posts 33, are operable to swing the bolts 40 about the vertical axes Y out of engagement with the gate 34A, to positions exemplified by position 40A shown in chain line for the right-hand bolt.

The gate 34A carries screws 41 driven by a motor 43, and a pull-back ram 42, to effect horizontal adjustment 3 of the vertical roll chock 24, and so the associated vertical rolls 22 and 23.

In operation, when it is required to remove the rolls from the mill, the spreader beam 21 is raised to its uppermost position by the roll balance links operating mechanism (not shown) and stools 29 are placed on the upper surfaces of the chocks 24 to prevent the horizontal rolls 16 and 18 contacting each other when the chocks 17 are lowered. The latches 30 are then moved outwardly by the piston-and-cylinder arrangements 30A so that the spreader beam 21 is held in its uppermost position as shown in FIGURE 1. The roll-balance links are then lowered so that the chock assemblies 17 rest upon the stools 29.

After the chock assemblies 17 come to rest upon the stools 29, the links 20 continue to move downwardly thus leaving a small clearance between the links 20 and chock assemblies 17, and enabling the assemblies 17 to be movved outwardly from the mill.

The nuts 45 (FIGURE 3) are loosened and the bolts 40 are swung about the vertical axes Y, to the positions 40A, out of engagement with the gate 34A, by the pistonand-cylinder arrangements 37, whereafter the gate 34A is pivoted about the vertical axis X by operation of the piston-and-cylinder arrangement 36.

The screws 14 are then fully retracted so that the spreader beam 13 is supported by the U-frame 12; both the horizontal and vertical rolls with their chocks are now supported by frame 12. The piston-and-cylinder arrangements 32 are operated so that the wheels 27 engage with the track 28, whereafter the rolls 16, 17, 22 and 23, and their associated chock assemblies, together with the spreader beam 13, pass outwardly through the housing window 11 as one unit.

The introduction of a new setof rolls into the mill on the frame 12 and the proper location of the upper horizontal roll are effected by the same but reverse procedure. It will therefore be appreciated that, by virtue of the construction of the stand, and in particular of the particular form of the frame 12 which performs the dual function of supporting the vertical rolls and the lower horizontal roll during mill operation and of carrying all the rolls during transfer of the rolls out of or into the stand, a roll change may be effected quickly and easily.

It will be understood that instead of employing the piston-and-cylinder arrangements 36 to remove the U- section frame 12 from the housings 10 a rack-and-pinion arrangement may be employed.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle and operation of our invention and have illustrated and described what we consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, we desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. A rolling mill stand having coplanar horizontal and vertical rolls and chocks therefor, the chocks of the upper horizontal roll being normally spaced above the chocks of the vertical rolls, and means for lowering the chocks of the upper horizontal roll to permit removal of the horizontal and vertical rolls together through a housing window with the chocks of the upper horizontal roll resting on the chocks of the vertical rolls.

2. A rolling mill stand having coplanar horizontal and 1 vertical rolls and chocks therefor, and a frame arranged to support all the rolls and chocks and to be removed from the stand through a housing window with those rolls and chocks.

3. A rolling mill stand having coplanar horizontal and vertical rolls and chocks therefor, and a frame which is arranged to be located within the stand and to support the lower horizontal roll and the vertical rolls during operation of the mill, and which is removable through a housing window with all the rolls.

4. A rolling mill stand comprising a pair of spaced housings, at least one of which has a housing window therein, a frame which is locatable between the housings and which is movable through the housing window, a lower horizontal roll having chocks which are supported on the frame, a pair of vertical roll chocks, each having a vertical roll and each independently and slidably supported on the frame, an upper horizontal roll and chocks therefor, and means for mounting the upper horizontal roll and chocks in the stand and for lowering those chocks on to the vertical roll chocks, for removal of all the rolls and chocks together on the frame.

5. A rolling mill stand according to claim 4 in which there is a spreader beam seated on the frame between the housings and supporting the lower horizontal roll chocks.

6. A rolling mill stand according to claim 4 in which the frame is U-shaped having a pair of upwardly extending arms which support the vertical roll chocks, the horizontal roll and chocks being located between the arms.

7. A rolling mill stand according to claim 6 in which there is a spreader beam seated on the frame between the arms and supporting the lower horizontal roll chocks.

8. A rolling mill stand according to claim 6 in which each vertical roll chock is located vertically between the arms of the frame and projecting parts of the housings.

9. A rolling mill stand according to claim 4 in which the frame has Wheels and means for. moving it through the window.

10. A rolling mill stand according to claim 4 in which the mounting means are roll-balance links which are adapted to support the upper horizontal roll chocks during mill operation and which are movable downwardly to lower those chocks on to the vertical roll chocks for removal from the stand.

11. A rolling mill stand according to claim 4 in which there is an upper spreader beam interposed vertically between the housings and the upper horizontal roll chocks.

12. A rolling mill stand according to claim 4 in which each housing has secured thereto a horizontal U-shaped yoke which extends round one of the vertical roll chocks and which carries means for adjusting horizontally that chock on the frame.

13. A rolling mill stand according to claim 12 in which at least one of the yokes is removable to permit passage of the frame with the rolls and chocks through the housing window.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1932 Soderberg et al. 72238 4/1936 Buente 72-238 

1. A ROLLING MILL STAND HAVING COPLANAR HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ROLLS AND CHOCKS THEREFOR, THE CHOCKS OF THE UPPER HORIZONTAL ROLL BEING NORMALLY SPACED ABOVE THE CHOCKS OF THE VERTICAL ROLLS, AND MEANS FOR LOWERING THE CHOCKS OF THE UPPER HORIZONTAL ROLL TO PERMIT REMOVAL OF THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ROLL TOGETHER THROUGH A HOUSING WINDOW WITH THE CHOCKS OF THE UPPER HORIZONTAL ROLL RESTING ON THE CHOCKS OF THE VERTICAL ROLLS. 